(Lets face it kids are full of honesty, they say it as they see it. This is a new column written from the ‘HONEST’ observations from our children. It touches on all aspects of the process of growing up and how we as parents can improve ourselves from a child’s point of view).

Hey there Peeps, it sucks growing up !!! Since I’m all, ONE and a bit, Mother dearest thinks I’m ready for something called Nursery.

SIGH, yeah it such a pain for now I have to get up at a reasonable time, like 8.00, usually I used to snooze in to like 8.30. Then I can’t explore the crib talking to the homies on the block, you know Teddy, one-legged Barbie etc..whilst Mummy mushes some food together for me.

NO NO NO, now I have to speedily get dressed, hands and feet twisted into some polka dot affair, just so that Mummy can beat the traffic. WHATEVER!! Growing up sucks!!!.

I was looking forward to a day spent blowing spit bubbles, watching some “Ninja Hattori” and maybe spending an hour crying uncontrollably because I was wanted the blue cup and not the yellow one today.

I feel quite cathartic letting the tears flow. Nope none of that smashing fun stuff today, instead here we are, standing infront of some brightly colored nonsensically decorated place. Sheesh, why are the people so excessively happy here, HEY I hear a lot of crying babies, see Mommy you can’t leave me here, they make babies cry, with their shiny happy smiles, these oompa loopma carers are scary.

Anyways, before I even enter the place of doom, I’v got to fill out the paperwork…They want to know all my nearest and dearest secrets, there might be stuff I can’t dilvuge mummy dearest, LIKE what really happened to yesterday's banana snack, if I were I wouldn’t go near your sock.

Okay okay, get the pencil out, time to come clean.

“All About me sheet” at Twinkle Toes Nursery -

Name:

Baby…err..can’t remember the rest, some nomenclature representing the Sinhala clan.

My strengths are:
1.    Playing one parent against the other.
2.    Spontaneous ability to cry
3.    Also spontaneous ability to vomit, especially on mum.
4.    Can Pee like a fountain..whopppee
5.    Can put toe in mouth..well maybe even whole foot

My interests are:
1.    Welcoming the “dawn” everyday without fail with a thundering scream for Mum
2.    Collecting all those bits of tweensy weensy dirt in the corners and putting it all in my mouth. Tasty!
3.    Exploring Dad’s nose and waiting for that moment when I’ve reached too far and then he starts tearing!
4.    Teddy is my life and my life is my teddy
5.    Making a run for it, when Mum takes me out of the playpen, so far I’ve only reached the bedroom door.

My goals are:
1.    Open every drawer every where, especially the one with the cleaning supplies.
2.    Stick my finger in any electrical socket I see
3.    Ability to walk straight without a sudden tip to the side…eeek
4.    Sleep deprive my parents until they give me what I want…HAHAHAHAHAH
5.    Watch a three hour episode of Ninja Hattori, always fall asleep after the first ten minutes..DARN IT!

Allergies:
1.    Mush food
2.    Any colured mushy food, sometimes Mum sneaks in a beetroot to distract me with the wondrous pink colour
3.    Something called a big Sister
4.    Mum wants to put down sugar, don’t listen to her, she might pick the nursery, BUT I get to pick her nursing home!..HAHHAHA

Let’s get this party started, its Nursery time!

When and how to start your toddler using a cup.

By  the time your toddler turned 12 months, he was probably ready to give the bottle the boot. But you may not have been ready to let him toddle around with an open cup, splish-splashing the liquid every which way.

The solution? The sippy cup. But Some experts believe that prolonged use may interfere with proper speech development. Some experts advise against getting into the sippy-cup habit in the first place and instead recommend introducing the open cup around six to nine months, letting your baby take some tentative sips.

Why won’t my baby sleep properly?

You're not alone. About a quarter of children under five have sleep problems. Refusing to go to bed or waking in the night are both common, and the two often go together. 

These suggestions might help:

1.    Get a routine, stick to the naps etc. Sometimes babies who nap sleep better at night.
2.    Don’t do any rough playing just before a nap, this will only excite your baby rather than quieten him down.
3.    Give your baby a security blanket to keep them cuddly at night
4.    Give them a chance to settle on their own, this might involve some bouts of crying.

Why is it important to baby proof the house?

Household injuries are one of the top reasons kids under age 3 visit the ER, and nearly 70% of the children who die from unintentional injuries at home are 4 years old and under.

Young kids have the highest risk of being injured at home because that's where they spend most of their time.
 

By Mayuri Jayasinghe